Hidden in Plain Sight
by Tyanne
Summary: Things are not always as they seem, even people. Harry and Ginny have secrets that others would squeal to know but they enjoy having those secrets...until they decide otherwise. And they do.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything of the Harry Potter series except a copy of each of the movies because my husband insisted that we have the entire series. (I borrowed the books.) I'm not blond, I'm not British, and I'm not rich. So, not mine, especially if you recognize it as copyrighted and published works belonging to others.

**Author's Note: **Here is a little plot bunny that has been winding itself around my ankles more than a cat after a treat. So in order to stop it from tripping me up, I'm playing with it. I have no idea if I'll do more with this than what I have...I haven't plotted this story out at all so I'm winging it as I write when I do write it. _I have no idea if I'm going to take this particular story any farther than this...it will probably depend on the response I get! _For those who are following Secrets...see my profile for an update on it.

* * *

_Many things are not always as they seem, are more than they seem actually. It is an interesting phenomenon that happens repeatedly. People see what they expect to see and nothing more or less all too often. Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley are two who are looked at and over looked in such a manner. Each unique yet both similar, these two had facets uncovered by others and cherished by themselves. Their story is shadowed with secrets of light, dark, and gray. Who would care to find the facets that could prove irresistible?_

Growing up, Harry Potter knew very well that his family—his beanpole aunt Petunia, his moon shaped uncle Vernon, and their whale sized son Dudley—didn't like him one bit. He was always being yelled at for one thing or another, even if it wasn't his fault. One time he'd been at school when the thing he was blamed for happened. No, they didn't like him at all. Along with Vernon's high decibel yelling, Petunia would almost twist his ears and arms off and Dudley really liked to use him as a punching bag.

From a very young age, Harry knew he had to hide just how much better he was than his family or they'd make his miserable life even worse. For example, he intentionally did poorly on his schoolwork, even though learning came easily for him. He'd also learned how to lie effectively. He'd lie about little things and make it obvious but the larger and more important lies were done smoothly without anyone knowing he'd lied. It was a handy skill to have, at home and in public.

When he turned eleven he discovered that he was a wizard—a person who possessed magical abilities, just like his parents. All his life he'd been told that his father was a drunk and had gotten himself and Harry's mother killed in a car accident that gave Harry the lightning bolt shaped scar above his eye.

That year he attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was no dunderhead but he'd spent so long working to have people underestimate him that he continued to do lower quality work even here. He also figured that Snape, and possibly Dumbledore, were peeking into his mind when there were a few too many coincident relating to something he had been thinking. It's wonderful what late night reading will help you discover. Thanks to this hobby he was able to determine that Snape was using Legilimency on him and he started to learn Occlumency to counter it. He was sneaky about it though-he made sure Snape saw what he thought were Harry's real thoughts. It took some work but Harry kept at it and over the course of his first and second years he made significant progress in protecting his mind.

A couple of nights after the events in the Chamber of Secrets, Harry was feeling restless so he made his way down to the common room where he bumped into Ginny Weasley; the girl he'd rescued. She looked completely hashed out and before he registered it, he'd vowed to try to become her friend. So, he started talking to her.

* * *

Ginny Weasley was the youngest and only girl of her parents' seven children and as such had learned the art of covering her tracks at a very young age. She could, for example, lie to her mother while looking her smack in the eyes-something none of her brothers could manage. She was adept at sneaking around and hiding things, a major part of the reason Tom Riddle had had such an easy time keeping his possession of her hidden. He'd merely utilized her existing abilities. Thanks to Ginny's abilities to hide things, to cover her tracks, to move around unseen, she'd always managed to get people to underestimate her-greatly in some cases.

It was a few nights after Harry Potter had rescued her from Tom when she was sitting in the common room, unable to sleep. To her surprise, Harry himself stepped into the room and after a split second pause to study her he made his way over.

* * *

Thus started a great friendship. The two were very much alike in their abilities to hide and cover their tracks; the Occlumency they were both learning only increased those particular abilities. Multiple times Harry would sneak away from Ron and Hermione to meet with Ginny in an isolated location as they both desired to keep their friendship from scrutiny by others. They didn't want the pressure of others' expectations on what their friendship was "supposed to be." It allowed them more freedom to be who they were when away from others' eyes, ironically enough.

During the time when it seemed as if Sirius was out for his blood Ginny was there to talk to and when the truth of the matter came out she was able to get him to see the humor of it. She was the one who kept him grounded during the chaos of the TriWizard Tournament. They both found it hilarious that Dumbledore had placed Ron and not her at the bottom of the lake for the second task. It wasn't that Ron wasn't important to Harry. It was that he was much closer to Ginny than he was Ron and Hermione combined. He always had to watch what he said around those two and he didn't with Ginny. She knew everything about him, including his childhood. He knew her just as well. They had apparently fooled even the great and seemingly omnipotent Dumbledore on his own turf.

Harry's fifth year was without equal the hardest year for both of them. Between Umbridge, Harry's guilt over Cedric's death, and everything else it was a miracle that they were able to keep their closeness hidden. Typically they resorted to communicating in public using subtle facial expressions and body language as well as a type of sign language they had developed over the previous few years. They didn't dare use the actual sign language deaf muggles used in case there was someone in the school who understood it.

The Occlumency "lessons" Harry was subjected to by Snape were a trial but they did serve a purpose in that they proved without question that Harry had indeed learned to protect his mind from intrusions. Snape never got past his defenses even if he _thought_ he had none. During Harry's History of Magic exam he felt a short tickle at his surface protections that told him Voldemort was attempting something. A quick examination of his defenses and the surface thoughts revealed that the nasty bastard had planted a "vision" he intended Harry to find.

Once out of his exam, Harry hurried to his dorm room and contacted Sirius with the mirror he had gifted him. Thanks to Ginny, Harry had made sure to open the gift and had kept in regular contact with his godfather. He was the only person other than the two of them that knew of their friendship and often helped them during the times when they were at the Order's headquarters. He also knew of their mental protections and so Harry didn't hesitate to inform him that Voldemort had tried to lay a trap for him using Sirius as bait.

The year ended quietly for Harry and Ginny but not so quietly for the Ministry as the Death Eaters who had been lying in wait for the green eyed fifth year were stumbled across by a few aurors. The battle was apparently heavily damaging to the building and resulted in Fudge being ousted as Minister when his under handed dealings were uncovered during the resulting investigation. Madam Amelia Bones was declared Minister and she firmly took the reins of power to get the Ministry back into shape.

Thus it was Harry's fifth year ended and the summer began as he and his friends boarded the train back to London.

* * *

**A/N:** So there you have it. The start of the plot bunny. Like I said above, I have no idea when or if I'll update this one. I suspect it will depend heavily on the responses (if any) I get and what is happening around here. Two little ones don't always leave much for time.


	2. Chapter 1: First Peeksee

**Disclaimer:** Not Rowling, don't own it. I'm just playing with her characters and places and such.

**A/N:** Oh lookie...chapter one. Huh...not sure where it came from but okay. **_Note 1:_** I have slid the timeline so that it aligns with the current times...I don't want to have to try remembering specifics from the 90s...music, styles, etc._Note 2:_If you are going to leave a critiquing review...make it constructive, not overly negative, and for fiddle's sake DO NOT be hypocritical in it. Otherwise, flames will be used to heat socks to warm my cold feet. _Note 3:_ I do NOT have a beta reader so if you spot a mistake, let me know and I'll change it in my master copy and possibly update here if it is a major screw up on my part. **_Oh, before I forget_**...I'm American so don't harp on slang. Some British slang I like, some I just don't understand. Inform if you wish but don't get turn into a nag about it. That will just earn you a bale of hay to chew on.

* * *

Ginny was settled comfortably in a compartment on the Express, idly tapping her finger nails on the cover of a journal in her lap. Harry was following a bit behind her with Ron and Hermione. Ron had, once again, been the cause of their delay and Ginny knew that it was almost all Harry could do to not say something less than polite. The red headed boy was perpetually lazy and when it came to packing _his own_ belongings to return home, it was no different. He was sixteen years old and he was still as lazy she remembered him being before he left for Hogwarts the first time.

The three she was waiting for finally found her about five minutes before the train was set to depart. They swiftly got their belongings stashed and were soon settled, Ron and Hermione across from Ginny with Harry at the other end of the bench seat she was on. Hermione was snuggled up next to Ron; a common sight since the two had started dating a couple of months beforehand. _That_ had been a funny event. Hermione had been ranting at Ron over something and he'd gotten tired of it so he simply stepped into her path as she paced and when she stopped to glare at him, he kissed her. It took a few minutes for the two of them to break apart and when they did, Hermione hadn't been able to remember what she'd been upset about. Before she could, Ron had grabbed her hand and hauled her out of the common room. Hermione had later told Ginny that he had asked her out.

The four of them chatted idly until the train pulled out of the station. Once it had, Hermione stood, pulled Ron to his feet, and the two of them left to fulfill their prefect duties. Ginny was willing to bet galleons that once that was done, Ron would be able to convince Hermione to find a private spot for some snogging. As soon as they were away, Harry checked that the door was closed and locked before pulling the shades closed.

As he flopped down in the seat Ron had left, they both sighed in what could realistically be considered relief. "I like those two but is it me or are they getting harder to put up with?" Harry asked as he rubbed his face tiredly.

"What now?" Ginny raised an eyebrow.

"What else? They got into a fight on the way to the carriages then they made up and snogged the entire way to the station," the green eyed teen explained.

Ginny's light brown eyes sparkled with humor, "Let me guess. Hermione was nagging him about his tendency to leave things to the last minute again."

"Got it in one."

Ginny laughed a bit before she spoke with a grin, "Well I've got something to take your mind off of those two. I finally figured out how to link the journals reliably like we wanted."

"Really?" At Ginny's nod he let out a whoop and jumped to his feet, pulled her up too, and made her dance a little jig with him. If anyone else had seen it, they would have had Harry rushed to a Healer to see if his brain was damaged. He wasn't carefree like that with anyone except Ginny.

Laughing breathlessly, Ginny managed to get loose and plopped back down on her seat. "I was thinking we could test them out before the snoggertwins get back."

"Works for me!" Harry enthused. They quickly tested them and found they worked as expected. Communications would certainly be much quicker and smoother for them this summer than in previous years, even with the ability to practice magic without anyone knowing.

"Have you found anything in particular you're planning on studying this summer outside the usual stuff?" Ginny asked Harry once they'd set their journals aside for the moment.

"Not yet but that will probably change. It usually does."

Ginny nodded. They both studied various topics during the summer and ever since they discovered how to avoid getting caught doing magic away from the school, practiced magic as well. Along with studying and practicing things taught at school they had studied a wide variety to subjects from wizarding law to Animagus transformations to dancing and much more. More than anyone thought they might even have an idea of knowing. Ginny's mind wandered to the various things she'd learned alongside Harry over the last few years. Harry noticed her preoccupation quickly but didn't get the chance to ask her about it because Ron and Hermione came back.

After trying the door and discovering it locked, one of them knocked. Harry got up and unlocked it and Hermione stomped in in a huff before taking the seat directly across from Ginny. Harry promptly sat himself in the spot he had occupied before the others left. He had no desire to sit next to a huffy Hermione if he could at all help it. Ginny sighed almost absentmindedly and pulled out her journal and a quill as she swung her feet up onto the seat between them so Ron had to sit on the other side of the compartment. Seeing that Ginny was writing in her journal he pulled out his own and a quill.

Opening to the section of the journal that was for conversation, he wrote /_What are you thinking about that has you so engrossed?/ _and tapped the symbol to send the message to Ginny's journal.

_/I was thinking about some of the stuff we've learned over the last few years._ _Magic, your status, the prophecy, laws, and stuff. My mind was kind of bouncing around in all that. You know me./_

Before Harry could respond Hermione spoke up, "What are you two doing?"

"I don't know about Harry but I'm writing in my journal. I like to write stuff down. It helps me think."

Hermione had to ask, "But I thought you didn't like diaries after your first year?"

"This is a journal. I find them to be different and besides, I bought this myself and have layered it with so many different protection spells that if anyone other than me were to touch it they would get shocked and the book would seal shut, preventing snooping. Minimum. The spells scale from there. No one is getting at me again in such a way."

After opening her mouth and closing it, Hermione apparently decided she didn't have anything to say about that so she turned to Harry, "What about you? What are you doing?"

Harry hummed as he finished a word and looked up, "I'm sorry; what was that?"

"I asked what you're doing."

He turned his attention back to his writing even as he answered, "I decided to try the journal thing too. Ginny said it helps her to clear her mind of clutter. I found it helps to deal with stress and stuff, especially when Voldemort is active. It certainly helped after Cedric died."

Hermione's brown eyes widened, "You've been using a journal that long? Why didn't you say something before?"

"Because it is no one's business but my own," his voice was sharp. "And, no. You can _not_ read what I have written. It is private and has just as many protections on it as Ginny's does since I helped her with the protections on hers." Hermione blinked and turned away, knowing that pushing would only make him mad.

_/You're right I do know you./_ Harry turned his attention back to his journal. /_Do you think we can pull this off this summer? I know I have to live at the Dursley's for a while but after that?/_

Ginny, who had been tapping her quill against her chin as if in thought, responded quickly. _/Yes. I think we can do it. Especially since we won't be rushing into it. They'll get complacent and then a move can be made. I just want to know if you're sure about doing this for the right reasons and to not rebel against what Dumbledore wishes./_

_/NO! No, I'm not doing this to be a pain in the ass. You know that! I honestly think it would be better and that ultimately the Dursley's will be safer this way. I don't like them but my aunt and Dudley are still family even if I would rather see Vernon fall off the face of the earth./_

/_I thought so but I had to ask one more time. Now, what on earth do you think Ron did to piss Hermione off?/_ And with that comment they left the heavy conversation behind as they spent the rest of the trip writing to each other while using their journals for their original purpose.

* * *

The platform was pretty much empty when Harry finally stepped through the barrier into the muggle world of London. He had purposefully waited to cross over to ensure that the Weasleys and Grangers would be well and gone. He didn't want them to see that his uncle was not waiting for him. He had sent a message to his aunt using the muggle post that he would be making his own way back to her home. Vernon had most likely been delighted; probably hoping he would get lost or hurt on the way back. Having shrunk his trunk and Hedwig's cage and pocketing them before leaving the school, he was able to stroll swiftly through the station. Hedwig herself was enjoying a day of flying and hunting as she made her way to Surrey.

As he made his way down the street, looking for an alley or quiet spot out of the way where he wouldn't be seen, he let his mind wander. It gravitated back to the shocking discovery he had made last summer when Sirius had helped sneak him into London. He was a lord. The Potters were technically nobility. So were the Blacks and Sirius had told Harry that unless he had a child, Harry would inherit the Black title as well. Despite Sirius being a wanted criminal by the Ministry, the goblins still did business with him and allowed him access to his vaults. The fact that he'd never had a trial had been a major factor in this because within the walls of Gringotts, the Ministry was merely a guest. The goblins ruled there and they liked Sirius because he was wealthy and treated them with respect.

On top of the title. Harry had a great deal of wealth inherited from his parents. The Potter family was actually wealthier than the Black family and Harry had access to all of it. Since he was the only living Potter heir and of at least fifteen years of age, he was considered to be the Head of House and had access to all of the vaults to his name. He'd been floored when his account manager informed him of this the previous summer. He'd asked his account manager if it would be possible to keep the fact that he was Head of House as quiet as possible. Thus, as far as he knew, Dumbledore had no idea.

Seeing a spot that would be ideal to apparate from, Harry slipped into the shadows and was away from London proper and in Surrey, barely a block from his aunts. Checking all around to see if anyone was watching, Harry slipped out of the cluster of trees he had appeared in and made his way down the street. He arrived just as Petunia was outside getting the mail.

"Oh so you made it back. Get inside where you can't be seen," she snapped. He just nodded and did as she bid, noticing immediately that the house was empty. Once he was inside she pointed toward the sitting room and indicated she wanted him to go in there. With a glare at him, she did the same. "Now listen. We are moving and you are not coming with us."

"Why are you moving if I may ask?" Harry asked politely.

"Vernon got offered an administrative position at the company office in Bristol. We leave today as soon as he and Dudley get home."

"Am I correct in assuming you want none of the people I associate with to know that you're moving without me?" Petunia nodded sharply. "Thus everything has been moved already?" Again she nodded sharply. "Then lets pull the wool over their eyes. I don't want them to know we are going our separate ways and if they find out that is the intention, they'll force us to stay together. Neither of us want that." Petunia shuddered as if that was one of her worst nightmares.

"What do you suggest then? We don't want any unnaturalness though! This will be done in a perfectly normal fashion."

Harry let a grin cross his face, "We'll pretend you're going out for the evening and have to drag me with. Make sure the rest of your things are ready to go. When Vernon gets here, have him park in the garage so it can be loaded up without anyone seeing if the person set to watch me is here already. After a bit, he can pull back out and we can all get in. You three can talk about enjoying the evening out. If they think we're just going out and about they won't bother to follow us so we can part ways as soon as we're far enough away. You can then continue on, neither of us knowing where the other is." His eyes were sparkling over the prospect of pulling a fast one over the order. Petunia nodded again and left him standing in what was once her living room. He watched her quietly, noting that she seemed to be taking a little time to say goodbye to the place.

Moving to sit against the wall, he pulled his journal out of his pocket and returned it to normal size before pulling a pen out of his pocket as well. Settling down, he wrote a quick message to Ginny. _/There's been a change of plans. The Dursley's are moving. They're already packed and the stuff sent off. Petunia was waiting for Vernon and Dudley to get back before they left when I got here. We're going to pull a fast one on the Order tonight by pretending to be going out for the evening and then not coming back. Would you be so kind as to give Sirius a heads up? I won't have time; Vernon is due back anytime now I would guess. I will write you when I'm settled somewhere for the night./_

Harry had just finished writing this when he heard Vernon's car pull into the driveway. Quickly shrinking his journal again, he stood and waited. Vernon barged in the door as he always did, Dudley waddling behind him with his face covered in powdered sugar from the donuts he was stuffing into his mouth. "Petunia!," Vernon called. He froze when he spotted Harry near the fireplace. Before he could do more than turn a little red, Petunia came hurrying into the room with a _large_ suitcase.

"Put this in the car if that other one isn't here yet," she snapped at Harry. He smiled and took the suitcase out to the car, knowing the order's guard wasn't there just yet based on the fact he couldn't feel another magical being in the area. As he went out the door he heard his aunt explain, "We can be rid of him Vernon! All we have to do is-"

Harry took his sweet time returning to the house after he'd put the suitcase in the car. Hearing a small pop that indicated someone apparating in, he glanced around to see if he could spot them. Sure enough, there was one Mundungus Fletcher getting settled into the corner of the front yard that was shadiest. Dung didn't know Harry could see him but then, not many people could read auras like Harry had learned he could do. If nothing else, the odor that wafted gently to Harry's nose shortly afterward would have told Harry exactly who it was watching him. Hiding a smirk, he added another step to his little plan. After all, Dung was usually drinking _something_ alcoholic so him ending up drunk while he was supposed to be watching Harry wasn't a stretch.

Stepping inside he quietly shut the door and moved toward his aunt, uncle, and cousin. Keeping his voice low he said, "The person who is supposed to be watching me for the night is here. Are we ready to go?"

They nodded eagerly and made their way to the door, already talking about where they wanted to eat for supper as a celebration. Dudley promptly began whining for his favorite restaurant, knowing that he'd get it if he played the part laid out for him. The quartet got into the car, each acting as if nothing were different than normal when they all went out. Before getting in though, Harry shot a spell at Dung that would slowly make him drunk enough to fall asleep before the time they would be expected to be home. The beauty of this spell was it was invisible and acted slowly enough that it wasn't possible to tell it had been cast until the target woke up with a hangover from hell and stinking of booze.

Twenty minutes later, Vernon pulled the car into the parking lot of Dudley's favorite fast food restaurant and shut off the engine.

"Well this is where we part ways," Harry was almost chirping as he said this cheerfully. "Am I correct in thinking you never want to hear from or see me again?" All three Dursley's shook their heads, Dudley doing so vigorously enough that his cheeks and chin flapped audibly. "Then I shall bid thee adieu!" Harry said gallantly, as if he were a knight of old, before he got out of the car and walked toward the alley behind the restaurant. With a glance over his shoulder before he slipped around the corner he saw that they had gotten out and were heading into to get food before their trip.

Shaking his head he slipped away into some trees lining the alley and was gone to London proper.

Appearing in the same alley he had disappeared from on his way _to_ Surrey, Harry took a moment to pull out a hooded cloak and draped it over an arm like one would a coat. Following this he used some charms he and Ginny had learned a couple of years before to alter his appearance enough that he wouldn't be recognized easily. Then he swiftly made his way to the Leaky Cauldron and through the back to the alley entrance. He acted as if on business and exuded an air that discouraged anyone from paying much attention to him. Once in back he pulled the cloak on and activated the entrance to the Alley.

It was barely after six in the evening so Gringotts should still be open. Harry moved at a steady pace toward the bank and was there within minutes. Once inside he removed the charms but kept his hood up and his head tilted down ever so slightly. This had the benefit of keeping his face mostly hidden in shadow. When he got to the teller he asked to see his account manager if possible and was soon being escorted to the relevant office.

Close to forty-five minutes later Harry was making his way back out of the bank, entirely pleased with how the meeting had gone. Making sure his hood was up, he strode to the apparation point and was soon away from the prying eyes that always existed within Diagon Alley.

His destination was a warehouse toward the outskirts of London proper, at the edge of an industrial section of the city. It had been in the family for a century at least but nothing had ever been done with it other than place spells to keep people from trespassing or damage being done to the building. The spells recognized him as the proper owner of the property and dissolved on his approach to the door. Once inside he could see that it was much larger than he expected and Harry felt a small thrill run through him at the thought that he would be able to design the place with most if not all of the features he was hoping to include in his hideaway.

First things first though, he needed to hide the place from the wizarding world or he would be tracked down and sent back to the Dursley household. That wasn't going to happen if he had any say about it!

With a little preparation he was ready to cast the first of the warding spells he intended to utilize. The Fidelius Charm was actually easier to cast than many thought but it was still a spell that was very complex. The hardest part by far was finding out _how_ to cast the spell. His and Ginny's late night ventures into the Restricted Section, as well as the library stored in his vault and his own personal collection of books, had netted them many things. The knowledge of the spell was one of them.

This was either going to work brilliantly or hurt like hell if it backfired on him.

Taking a deep breath, Harry began the spell. Time didn't seem to exist for him as he worked the magic required. However, once he chanted the final part of the lengthy incantation, he felt the magic he had built up rush away from him in a wave that left him a bit giddy. He'd tested his ability with the spell on smaller objects or locations but never one this big. Taking a deep breath he sent his magic out and tested the spell.

It worked!

Harry was elated. He now had a place to hide away that was entirely his. He fully intended to add more wards and spells to the place to keep it safe for himself and those he brought in. Feeling rather tired now, Harry moved over toward a corner that wouldn't get blasted by the sun in the morning and set to work. He quickly cleaned it with a spell and set up a rough camp of sorts. A plush sleeping bag was transfigured out of a quill and his trunk served as a table alongside it. After changing into something more comfortable to sleep in and settling into the sleeping bag, he pulled out his journal to write a message to Ginny before exhaustion caught up to him while he was still vertical.

_/I'm safe. I got away without the order finding out. Dung is going to have a hangover though if you catch my meaning. I've cast the Fidelius and I plan to set more wards. With that and getting this place fixed up I'm sure I'll be busy over the next few days at the very least. I'll keep my journal nearby. Keep me up on what the order is doing if you can. Before I do anything else though, I'm going to sleep this off. Night./_ With that Harry sent the message before he flipped to the front cover of the journal and tapped the symbol that would cause the journal to let off a chime if Ginny sent a message. He put the journal and his glasses on the trunk before laying down and letting sleep wash over him. His snack of cauldron cakes were left sitting uneaten.

* * *

Ginny hadn't been home for very long when her journal, which was shrunk and placed in her pocket, got a little warm and gave a silent buzz against her hip. Harry had written her already? Slipping away to her room was easily done as she needed to take her trunk up anyway. Once in the privacy of her room, she pulled out her journal and returned it to its full size. After she had read his message, shrunk, and pocketed the journal again, she sat lost in thought.

Harry only had until the order realized that there was no one living at number four Privet Drive before the hunt would be on. The question was, would they find out when they discovered Dung drunker than he had ever been in his life or would they find out at a different time? She figured she had better be prepared in either case. Once it was known that Harry wasn't where they thought he was and should be, Dumbledore was going to rally the order to search for the Boy-Who-Lived, including asking his friends if they'd heard from him at all.

Hermione was going to go ape-shit.

It was a toss up how Ron would act. Her mum was going to worry incessantly. They were going to drive her crazy this summer and it was only going to get worse when school started. Harry would presumably be back within reach of Hermione's unending and pushy questions and she would probably try to rope Ginny and Ron into pestering him about it too. Ginny would have to figure out how to get her to leave her alone or how to get away from her.

She froze.

Get away. Yes! She'd just leave and go with Harry! It wasn't like they weren't planning on meeting up as often as they could over the summer anyway. They had plans to do more of the training they'd started last summer after Cedric died and had continued that trend while at Hogwarts, even outside of the D.A. It would mean her family would go crazy trying to find her and her mother would blow her top when she finally showed back up within her reach but Ginny would rather be trying to make a difference than being treated like a glass bauble on a shelf.

Getting up, Ginny started to unpack her trunk. As she worked, she also began sorting through her personal belongings to determine what she would take with her if she _did _leave. Working steadily, she was able to finish within a few hours and had narrowed the items she definitely wanted to take with her down significantly. Then she had the things that she would _like_ to take with but could do without until she was able to get replacements.

Just after she returned to her room following supper, Ginny felt her journal buzz again. Harry's message said he was safe, had a place, and he was sleeping. Knowing it was simply a matter of time now, Ginny packed the things she wanted. She decided to use an old rucksack that had been Charlie's as the means to carry it all. She definitely wanted all of the books she had acquired, school book or otherwise, so they were shrunk and put in. Next came some potions she and Harry had brewed over the course of the school year, all in vials spelled to be unbreakable. Healing potions, pepper-up potion, and a few others were placed in to her favorite cauldron and the whole of it was put into the bag. That left just enough room for her to slip a shirt or two and a couple of undergarments into the bag as filler and to keep things from shifting too much. Luckily she had written down her homework requirements into her journal so she didn't have to worry about remembering to bring it. She never thoughts she'd be grateful for her summer homework being entirely essays instead of work packets. A charm on the bag itself kept it a light as if it held a single book. She placed the bag on the floor between her bed and the nightstand, half hidden under the edge of the bed and almost entirely out of sight.

All that done, she got ready for bed as it was getting close to when her mother would be coming up to check on her. Her journal she slipped under her pillow and her wand was set on her night stand. By the time there was a knock on her door, she was halfway through an issue of Witch Weekly. Once she was alone again, she decided to just go to sleep. If her hunch was right, tomorrow was going to be a crazy day.

* * *

Ginny was in a bind for most of the day. She either wanted to laugh at those around her or smack them as hard as she could.

She was at Grimmauld Place. She had been sitting on the porch swing after lunch enjoying the nice day while reading some of the assigned reading for Potions when she heard her mother shriek in alarm. Grabbing her rucksack from next to her and keeping a grip on her book, Ginny had hurried into the kitchen to learn that the order had discovered that Harry was no longer at Privet Drive and neither were the Dursleys. Her mum had called for Ron and when he got there, they had hurried through the floo to headquarters after Ron was informed of the emergency. Molly had intended to make them both stay home but Ron had put up a fuss and so she had relented. Ginny hadn't had a choice after that, even if she wanted to stay home she wouldn't have been able to.

As it was, she was enjoying the chaos around her. Granted, if she didn't know what she _did_ know it would be a different story but she did so she found it funny to watch. Mostly. Sometimes she just wanted to crack some of them topside the head for being so idiotic.

After supper she left the kitchen to the adults and made her way, rucksack in tow as it had been all day, to the sitting room. Once there she promptly settled into her favorite chair and _finally_ pulled out her journal. She hadn't had a chance to write Harry since just after they'd arrived at headquarters and she wanted to update him on what was going on. Ron was lurking around the kitchen, hoping to get information as soon as possible.

_/You there?/_

Harry's response came back almost immediately. _/Yup. How are things going there? Are they still clueless?/_

_/Yes indeed they are. Oh, I managed to clue Sirius in shortly after I got here. I think I forgot to mention that earlier. Anyway, I expect some of them to start coming back with reports soon. I do have a question though. Do you think it would be okay if I just left here and came to stay with you this summer? Then we don't have to put our plans on hold./_

_/I don't have a problem with it. What about your mum?/_ Harry's message looked a little messy, as if he'd scribbled it quickly.

Ginny 's mouth quirked up at the corner. _/I don't care what mum thinks about it. It isn't like I'm going to __ask_ _her about it! I was thinking I would just bolt when the pressure of dealing with people here gets to be too much. I've got the stuff I absolutely want with me already packed in a bag I'm keeping with me under the pretenses of homework./_

_/That works for me. I don't want to write the secret of this place down even if these journals are encrypted and have security measures on them. Do you think you could get to King's Cross if you have to leave there in a hurry?/_

That made sense to Ginny. If the Secret Keeper wrote the secret of a location down, then anyone reading it could find the place. Even with the measures, she agreed with him. It was too risky. _/Easily./_

_/Then why don't we meet there. You can give me a heads up if you can, if not then you can message me afterwards and I'll come get you. I'll keep my journal nearby if not on me at all times./_ As Ginny was reading that message, she heard a large commotion coming from the direction of the kitchen. After jotting a quick note to Harry, she hoisted her bag up onto her shoulder and made her way that direction.

Once there she saw Sirius and Ron glaring at Snape. That wasn't too shocking but seeing her mum glaring almost as strongly at him was. Deciding to speak up anyway she said, "What's going on?"

Molly broke off her glaring and turned to her daughter, "Ginny dear. What have you been doing that has kept you so quiet? I swear I haven't seen you all day!"

"I was in the sitting room working on homework and writing in my journal." As she said that, she wiggled the hand holding her journal a little.

Snape let out a snort, causing all eyes to turn to him. Seeing all the eyes on him, he answered the unspoken questions, "Are you sure that is a wise idea?"

Ginny stepped into the room a little, deliberately and unobtrusively moving closer to the dark haired professor. "You mean doing my homework?"

"No you silly little girl. I meant writing in a diary. Or _journal_ as you seem to prefer to call it. Especially after the fiasco of your first year."

Despite herself Ginny felt her temper rising. "Exactly _what_ are you saying Professor" she asked through clenched teeth before her mother or brother could start yelling.

Snape did her the great favor of getting out of his seat and stepping within arms reach of her. "Simply that you were fooled by a diary before so it is easily expected that you can be fooled again."

"I bought this one and charmed it with protection spells myself professor. If another tries to cast on it or read it, those charms not only let me know, they prevent anything from happening to my journal," Ginny snarled a bit. She was really hoping he did something that allowed her to do what she really, _really_ wanted to at the moment.

Snape reached out to take her journal, "I think I'll be the judge of that Miss Weasley."

"No you won't. This is my personal property!" Ginny full on snarled at him. Molly finally decided it was time to try diffusing the situation but didn't get more than a syllable or two out before Snape acted. He snapped out an arm to try grabbing the journal from Ginny while her attention was elsewhere. Unfortunately for him, her attention had never wavered from him and she was expecting him, or anyone really, to try something like that so she was more than prepared.

Rocking back she jerked the journal holding hand up so it was next to the opposite shoulder before rocking forward a bit as she swung with as much force as she could. Her aim was true and before anyone else could react, Snape was stumbling back and holding his nose.

Her journal had bashed, with a _spectacular _crunch, right into Snape's pointy nose and broke it.

"Stick _that_ in your pipe and smoke it!" Ginny bit out with extreme satisfaction before she turned and stomped over to the fireplace. Tossing in a handful of floo powder she called out, "The Burrow!" and was gone.

A brief whirl through the floo system and she was stepping out of the fireplace at the Burrow, aware that she had very little time. Fully expecting someone, probably her mum, to come after her Ginny hurried out of the house toward the edge of the wards. A short sprint brought her to her destination and without so much as a glance behind her she was away. She made a couple of stops to muddy the trail as well as to check for tracking spells on her or her belongings, of which there were none, before making her way to King's Cross. Finding a bench that was off to the side in a quiet area, she sat down and pulled out her journal to let Harry know he needed to come get her. Less than ten minutes after he responded, she spotted him walking toward her.

"Hey Kitten," his greeting as he got within comfortable speaking distance dispelled an fear of an impostor before it could take root. No one else called her that; ever. He wrapped her up in a hug and she couldn't help but snuggle into him, a feeling of contentment washing over her. Pulling away, he swept his arm gallantly toward the entrance of the station, "Shall we milady?"

Moments later they were outside the station and heading toward the Alley had been coming and going from the previous day, although Ginny wasn't aware of that immediately. Once there, Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulders and took them away from that part of London. After they arrived and Harry whispered the secret of his hideaway, Ginny watched as a _huge _brick building two stories tall appeared in front of her.

She was silent as he lead her in what appeared to be the front door; not that it was really that easy to see which side of the building was the front. It was just as big on the inside as it looked on the outside, open, and slightly rectangular in shape if she judged correctly. Part of the space had a second level above it being supported by columns but the rest of it, she visually estimated about half of it, was open to the ceiling a full two stories up. The ceiling itself was supported by what muggles called the Gothic arch, allowing for the large windows to let in large amounts of light.

"I haven't gotten much done other than some wards and just getting the place clean," Harry gave a shrug as he looked around. "I haven't had time for anything else."

Ginny put her bag down, "Well with two of us it should go pretty quickly. What were you thinking you wanted to do?" With that the two of them were off and running, plans and designs being tossed between them.

* * *

**A/N:** Still don't know how long I'll keep at this one...negativity of the bad sort (non constructive) and other stuff of that nature cause my muse to run and cry. (She's a crybaby!) On the other hand, some of my most productive writing sessions happen while I'm jamming out to music I really like so if you think there's a song out there that may inspire me, I'll listen to it at least once. (I'm a music nut...mwahahaha...)


	3. Chapter 2: Summer's True Start

**Disclaimer:** Still not Ms. Rowling, still don't own HP rights of any sort. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

**A/N:** Right. Chapter 2 has arrived. Finally. The ending of this one kept stomping on my toes.** To those who reviewed:** many many thanks. I like the warm fuzzies I get reading your comments. Constructive criticism is welcome, just no hypocrites. (Its a peeve thing...nothing personal I promise!) This chapter is a bit shorter word wise than the previous one but considering the next scene I thought it was a bit better to do it this way. We see a reaction or two to the events of the previous chapter as well as the digs where our duo will be chilling for the summer.

I adore music...suggestions are always welcome. Currently listening to Time Warp a la Chipmunks (yup...check it out on YouTube. It exists.), some Avril, and the Archies. What can I say? I'm eclectic!

* * *

Three days later Harry and Ginny were finished remodeling and setting up the warehouse as a living space complete with training, exercising, and practicing spaces for their various interests. They had spent the first evening figuring out what rooms they wanted and where they wanted them. When they started trying to figure out just _how_ to build those walls, Harry had mused out loud that he should ask Dobby if he knew how one went about doing that.

That was enough to summon the excitable elf and before they knew it, Dobby had bound himself to Harry and was putting up the walls exactly where they wanted them. He helped them get the flooring in as well as the walls done in the colors decided upon. Ultimately Harry decided he wanted to purchase the furniture and other household goods they would need. Dobby again came to the rescue by informing him that as his elf, Dobby could make the purchases at wizarding establishments and charge them directly to Harry's accounts if Harry himself gave Dobby a writ of permission to show the shop owners. The best part, in Harry's opinion anyway, was that his name didn't need to be on it; just the account number and the elf's name.

Harry had decided to have Dobby get the bigger pieces of furniture and more general household goods for most things with the intention that Harry and Ginny would go shopping for some other pieces and things to add a bit of personalization to the place. The Hideaway was both a private living space and a training location for the duo and whomever they decided to allow in on the secret.

The building itself was huge, easily a full city block in size if not larger. It was slightly rectangular and its open floor plan on the ground floor had allowed them to customize it to their desires. The front door, indeed the only visible door, opened into the great room. The rectangular room stretched half of the front side of the building and was easily large enough for the three or four separate sitting areas they had set up with cushy chairs and love seats with end tables within easy reach. Moveable screens gave each area a slightly private feel without detracting from the flow of the room over all. The walls were a light tan that was easy on the eyes and matched the eclectically bright colors of the furniture and dark hardwood floor dotted with soft cream colored rugs. Two large windows, one on the right hand wall and the other immediately to the left of the front door were covered with cream colored shades.

The left wall of the room had the door to the hall that lead further into the Hideaway. When stepping into the hall, there was a half bath to the left at the very end of the hall while the hall continued to the right. The first door on the left lead to the library which housed Harry's personal collection as well as what Ginny had brought with her. Harry had intentions to include the library that was in his holdings vault as well. The room itself was lined with bookshelves with more lined up in rows. Toward the center of the room were a couple of tables sized perfectly for two people to comfortably work with plenty of space. The floor was a burgundy colored carpet and the tables and bookshelves were a light honey to offset the dark floor. The large window was left uncovered with a cream colored valance across the top to soften the appearance a little. The window itself was frosted to soften the light coming in the window.

Continuing past the library door, the hall lead to both the kitchen door on the left and the hall to some bedrooms on the right. There were four bedrooms, two on each side of the hall. The two rooms on the right each had a king sized bed and a private bath; one room had soft yellow walls with cream linens and the other had pale mint green walls with dark brown linens. The rooms across the hall each had two queen size beds and a private bath. The king sized room with green walls was the one Ginny had laid claim to since it didn't have a real window in it like the other one did. She preferred to avoid having sunlight blast her in the mornings if she could help it. Her room and the double queen room not along an outside wall each had false windows installed on one wall; Ginny set hers to show a westerly view to avoid the morning sunlight issue.

The kitchen was a bright room with sand colored tiles and natural pine cabinets and woodwork. The countertops were a black and white marble. The appliances were stainless steel and there was a large island with a bar style seating area on one side of it; tall chairs were tucked neatly under it. The left end of the room held a large pine table that could comfortably seat twelve people. A big window next to the table and a smaller one over the sink let in enough light that the room seemed to glow.

Going through the second door in the kitchen lead one to the training area of the place. The first room was the one that would eventually hold muggle exercise and weight lifting equipment. Immediately to the left of the door was an open staircase that lead upstairs. The only other ground level door in this room lead to a larger room that would be where they practiced dueling and most of their spell work. This room would also serve as a training room for the muggle martial arts they were learning. Harry figured they would need to get some padding on the floor or spell it that way to prevent injuries due to falls and tumbles. These two rooms were open to the ceiling two stories above and because of this had more windows than any other room in the Hideaway. Light flooded the rooms giving them an energetic feel; something the duo figured they would appreciate when they were using the rooms.

The upper floor was smaller than the rest of the Hideaway but larger than it had been originally. When they had been putting up the walls, they had decided to expand the upper level to it was as big as the ground level minus the exercise and training rooms. Originally most of the kitchen and two of the bedrooms would have been open to the second level. Dobby had been the hero of the hour when it came to this construction.

At the top of the stairs, nearly against the outside wall, was a door that lead to an open sitting area to the left. It wasn't very large; more of a big landing than an actual room. A hall branched off of it to the right. With the hall to the right there was a door straight ahead. It opened into a decent sized room; almost perfectly square. The walls were a soft gray blue and the carpet was a plush sand color. The intention was that this was going to be the media lounge once they got the things they wanted for the space. Harry wanted a decent sized television and sound system as well as comfortable furniture designed for lounging. The hope was that they would ward and spell the electronics to not only function around magic but be powered by it. Ginny thought they could do it in a couple of weeks with both of them working on the idea since they had done some previous research on it.

Down the hallway from the sitting area and lounge were three doors. The one the hall ended at was to a stairway that went to the roof. The first door in the hall was on the right hand side and opened to a large dance studio. The floor was light colored hard wood and one of the longer walls was entirely mirrors while the other had large windows spaced along it. The plan was to get a muggle sound system installed here too but until then a wizarding one would have to do.

The third door was halfway down the hall on the left and it lead into the very large master bedroom. This room was Harry's and had a king sized bed with a cherry hardwood headboard. The walls were done in a soft slate gray and the plush carpet was an extremely light silvered cream color. The walls in the master bath were the same color as the rest of the room but the floor was done in a tile just a shade or two darker than the carpet. The tub and shower were separate and each easily big enough for two adults. Ginny figured she was going to have to take a bubble bath in that tub one day whether Harry liked it or not. Her tub was half the size. The large walk in closet was mostly off white shelving, drawers, and hanging rods but the slate gray walls continued here and gave a shocking pop of color. Harry was quite pleased with the final result of his room. It was soothing, calm, and drastically different than both the dorm room he shared at Hogwarts and the barren room he had used at the Dursley's.

The morning after they finished, Ginny rolled over in her new bed with a pleased sigh. The bed was huge and plush and the bedding was the best Dobby could buy which was very, _very_ nice. She had slept through the night after going to bed early, waking refreshed and ready to take on the day's challenges. Stretching she got up and got ready, thoroughly enjoying _not_ having to share a bathroom with anyone else for a change. Once ready she made her way to the kitchen where Dobby was making breakfast.

Harry had insisted that Dobby use the kitchen to make any meals he wanted to, despite the elf's claim that he was supposed to have a separate place so he wouldn't be in the "Great Harry Potter's" way. They had reached a compromise; Dobby had created himself a living space under the kitchen by removing the ground and shoring it up and he would use the kitchen so that they could talk to him as he worked. He just needed to make use of a stool since he was so much smaller than a human. The elf had quickly become an expert at maneuvering around the room as he worked. Ginny had seen him levitate the stool, with himself on it, around just the day before.

"Morning Dobby."

"Good morning Miss Ginny," Dobby said as he handed her a cup of coffee.

She took a sip and sighed, enjoying the heat as it slipped down her throat. "Has Harry gotten up yet?"

"He be in the studio Miss Ginny."

Nodding, Ginny got up and made her way upstairs. At the door of the studio she paused. Harry was moving around the room to the beat of the music. As always, the way he moved took her breath away. He was so smooth and flowing in his movements; sensual was another word that came to mind quite often when she watched him practicing. Currently he was just improvising some hip hop styled movements but it wasn't unusual for either of the duo to be practicing ballroom or latin styles either. Neither of them could tap dance or do any real ballet dancing to save their lives but the dancing had, overall, helped increase their stamina and flexibility.

After the song ended, Ginny made her presence known. "Breakfast time Harry. Dobby was working on what looked like chocolate chip pancakes when I came up."

"Thanks Gin," Harry grabbed a towel off the chair his shirt was draped over to dry the sweat clinging to his bare torso. A torso that Ginny had noticed filling out nicely over the last year. Giving herself a mental slap, Ginny just smiled and lead the way down to the kitchen. Thankfully, or perhaps not, Harry had put his shirt on during the trek.

Halfway through their meal Harry asked, "Are you still up for that shopping trip today? I really need new clothes and I know you didn't bring much of your stuff with."

"Yes. I think we should get that equipment we were talking about too. And maybe a few other things that strike your fancy." Just because she was letting him buy her clothes didn't mean she was going to have him get her whatever she wanted. Of course, she knew her best friend and had a feeling that if he thought she should get something, she was probably going to lose the argument. Sometimes Harry was more stubborn than her and that said something.

"Good idea." Harry quickly finished his breakfast and stood. "I'm going to shower real fast okay? Be back in a bit." Twenty minutes later the two were ready to venture out into London, disguised of course.

* * *

The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, number twelve Grimmauld Place in London, was in an uproar that belied the dark, dreary atmosphere of the house. Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were both missing and many were near panicking over the fact. Except Molly; she was full on panicked and out of her mind with worry. Arthur had asked Dumbledore for a supply of calming potions to help his wife keep her wits about her a little better. It wasn't helping much.

Sirius was torn between being mad at his godson or being proud of him for pulling what had to be the most elaborate prank one could conceive on the order. Ginny too actually. Somehow Harry and the Dursleys had gone their separate ways and kept it hidden from the order long enough for Harry to get into hiding. His guess, knowing what he did that others didn't, was that Ginny had known about it and had a way to contact him. He deduced that she had met up with Harry after she vacated headquarters immediately following her breaking Snape's nose. Merlin that was a beautiful memory!

Either way, the order was going a bit crazy trying to figure out how they were going to find Harry. Sirius had been in the kitchen when Moody had arrived with a viciously drunk Dung in tow. The paranoid former auror had let go of Dung, who slumped to the floor immediately, while the former had hurried to the fireplace and called Dumbledore. In short order, the headmaster had the majority of the order out scouring much of London for the Boy-Who-Lived.

A visit to Privet Drive and some of the residents of the area netted them the information that Vernon Dursley had gotten an out of town promotion and the family had moved. Since a tracking spell wouldn't assist in locating the family, it had taken a bit of time to locate them. Tonks had spotted Petunia leaving a hair salon and followed her home. Dumbledore himself had visited the residence only to learn that Harry was not there and they expected to never see him again after they parted ways at the restaurant the evening before.

That evening Ginny was gone as well and now, three days later, no one in the order had any clues as to their whereabouts. Ron and Hermione had no insight on the issue either when asked. Although in all honesty Ron was almost throwing a tantrum that his friend was off on an adventure and hadn't taken him or even hinted to him about it. Mature response; really. Sirius snorted as the thought crossed his mind.

Finally he reached a point where he couldn't handle any more of the speculations or tantrums or people around him so he slipped out. After the previous year of being locked up, Sirius had finally had enough. He always had some polyjuice potion on hand and some muggle hairs he had snitched with a little use of magic. Hurrying up to his room, Sirius then put a hair into a dose of polyjuice and gulped a swallow of the vile concoction down as fast as he could. Once he was done transforming, he checked his appearance in the mirror and determined that he didn't need to change it further with charms. He grabbed a pair of plain glass glasses to give himself a studious look and apparated out of the house to central London.

He spent a couple of hours just wandering around and watching people before using some of the muggle money he kept to get a bite to eat at a small café that had an outdoor seating area. The day was comfortably bright and warm so it was no hardship to enjoy his meal there. As he was doing so he spotted a young couple across the street. It looked as if the young man was trying very hard to not laugh as his companion was trying to get her long brown hair untangled from a hair tie or something similar. Even from where he sat he could see the affection for each other on their faces.

Allowing himself a small smile, he let his gaze wander further and spotted a cat stalking a bird not far from where he sat. The bird was hopping along the ground picking up crumbs with the cat slinking up behind it. When the bird finally stopped moving for more than five seconds the cat dropped into a stalking crouch, gaze fixed solely on the bird. With a little rear wiggle the cat sprung at its prey. Sirius couldn't help the laughter that barked out of him when he saw that the bird had played the cat. Just as the cat had launched itself forward, the bird took to the air and exposed the metal table leg it had been blocking from the cat's sight. The cat knocked its head right into it before jumping back, tail fizzed out, and took off running town the street. Still snickering after watching the cat run away, he turned back to his meal and almost jumped out of his skin.

The couple he had been watching were sitting at his table with him.

"Well hello," he tried to hide his surprise. "Can I help you?"

"We were hoping you could help us find someone," the sandy blond haired young man spoke.

Sirius blinked before narrowing his eyes in suspicion, "Okay. Why me?"

"Well, you remind me of a close friend; almost a family member really," again the young man answered while his companion was quiet. Sirius was still suspicious so he didn't say anything but did raise one eyebrow. "Well you do. The way you carry yourself and some of your mannerisms are what bring him to mind I guess. Not to be insulting to anyone but the old _dog_ is a bit _grim_ from time to time."

Sirius had to try for all his worth to keep his eyes from bugging out of his skull. He didn't think he was successful based on the snickering the two in front of him were doing.

"I've just wanted to use that line on someone for a while. Seriously, I'm sorry," the young man said, an unrepentant grin on his face.

He couldn't help it. "Okay, who are you?"

"Me? I'm just a guy who is looking for his prankster of a godfather without the wrong people, namely those who want me to do what I don't want to do, find me."

"Harry?"

* * *

Sirius leaned against the kitchen counter later that day. After he got over his shock and suspicion, Harry had invited him back to see the Hideaway so he could ease the man's worries about where the teens were hiding out. Not only had he placed it under the Fidelius, he had made it unplottable, untraceable, and put up as many other wards as he or Ginny could find. Sirius had whistled when he had heard what they had done to secure the place before commenting that he thought it might even be more securely warded than Hogwarts was.

The two teens had also managed, over the course of the previous two years and with help from Sirius and occasionally Remus although he didn't know it, to figure out how to block owls (or other animals or even items) with tracking spells from revealing where they were. Essentially the spell, cast on the person in question, told the tracking spell it was somewhere else entirely. They had also set up a sort of mail drop box somewhere in London. It was spelled to cancel harmful spells and spells such as portkeys or tracking spells on the mail itself. They didn't want someone trying to use a portkey to unknowingly whisk them away from their hide out.

"This is quite the place you've got set up here," Sirius mused aloud as he watched Dobby working on making some sandwiches for the trio. "What is next on the agenda?"

Ginny shrugged as Dobby handed her a plate holding a sandwich, "We keep doing what we've been doing over the last few years. Practice, train, exercise, study, plan pranks, hang out. The usual."

"Sounds like a busy schedule," Sirius said before taking a bite.

Harry swallowed before speaking; something Ron had yet to learn how to do. "Not all of that is spell work you know. We both still dance quite often. It is fun and it helps with mobility and stamina too." Sirius tilted his head in acknowledgement. Harry looked a little contemplative before he spoke again, "Sirius? Do you think you could teach me to drive a motorcycle this summer?"

"Sure!" his godfather nearly chirped, delighted that someone he cared about was interested in learning how to use what was his favorite muggle vehicle. "I'll help you pick one out if you want."

"That would be great!" Harry grinned. "I think I want a smaller model instead of one of the heavier ones." Sirius nodded and soon the two were immersed in a discussion about motorbikes. Ginny just shook her head and went to her room after she finished her sandwich.

Harry had gone a bit overboard in her opinion and _made_ her get an entire new wardrobe in addition to the clothes he had bought himself and the various items for the Hideaway. She had fought him but when he pulled out what she privately considered to be his ultimate weapon she had caved. As such, she had a ridiculous number of clothing items, plus standard personal items, to sort and put away. Shirts, skirts, pants, dresses, shoes, socks, under garments of various types and styles were all purchased, even if Harry didn't see some of it for various reasons. She had discovered a love of fashion over the last few years, especially since her third year during the furor of the Yule ball. The older girls had been talking of nothing else and her fledgling interest had blossomed. Not that anyone other than Harry really knew the extent of her interest.

Of course, what people knew about her and Harry, together and individually, was a drop in the bucket compared to the truth of the matter most of the time.

Once she had completed the task of sorting her room back into order, Ginny stretched out on her bed. It truly was a deliciously comfortable one and before she realized it, she had slipped into slumber.

When she woke, the false window in her room told her it was nearing dusk outside. With a stretch that pulled a groan from her, she stood and went to find her housemate. He was in the media lounge upstairs working on getting the entertainment system they have picked up before they happened to discover Sirius at the café.

Leaning against the doorway she saw that while Harry had the entertainment center up, he had yet to place the rest of the furniture. The wet bar across from the door looked to be stocked though. Ginny found herself wondering if Sirius had done that and if the older man had slipped something else into the line up back there. She would have to check that out because she wouldn't put it past him to find a way to stash some hard liquor here.

"Have a good time with Sirius?"

"Yup." He stood and grabbed the remote from the bar. A quick flip through the various devices proved that he had managed to get everything set up correctly. "Right. Now for the furniture," he said as he grabbed the box that they had filled with shrunken furniture purchased from a few different muggle shops. They had, of course, shrunk it all on the sly when they picked the pieces up.

He pulled out pieces of what was a sectional couch. One piece was a chaise that marked the end nearest the door. Then was a pair of middle pieces that connected to it and each other. There was a corner piece and another middle piece just like the other two. Finally a end section, complete with an arm that matched the one on the chaise piece. The couch was plush and delightfully comfortable; plus each of the sections reclined nearly flat when the foot was kicked out. Even the chaise back reclined. The entire thing was done in a rich mocha colored fabric that invited one to relax and let time pass by. The entire setup was large enough to take up most of the area stretching from near the bar over to the door with the television set up directly in front of the u shape the couch created.

Ginny couldn't help herself and she flopped down onto the chaise and stretched out, enjoying the comfort of the seat. "I have a feeling that I'm going to fall asleep on this thing quite a few times if we watch much stuff up here."

Harry laughed, "Yeah I pretty much thought the same thing when I sat on that thing at the store. I'm just glad they had it in stock and it didn't have to be ordered in."

"Come on. I need to move a bit after my nap and if I stay in here, that isn't going to happen," Ginny was up and moving out the door before she let herself truly think about how comfortable it would be to simply lounge around.

"What did you have in mind?" Harry followed her into the studio.

"You pick."

He moved over to the stereo system Sirius had helped him install earlier that day and soon had a string of music queued up for them. Stepping to the middle of the room, Harry turned to her as the music started. Recognizing the music, Ginny couldn't help smiling at his choice. Both of them found this one to be soothing. He held out his left hand and she stepped up to him, her right hand meeting his hand. She followed the tiny tug he gave her arm and stepped into the hold the dance called for.

She loved the Viennese waltz. It held an element of romance that she found enchanting, even if it was harder than it looked. When she and Harry had been first learning it they had both had issues with getting dizzy. Once they learned how to spot as they were twirling it got more enjoyable. Now Ginny was able to fully immerse herself into the music and the dance, trusting both her own body and Harry's lead.

After the Viennese they worked on some of the faster Latin dances. They were so fun and spontaneous that they were able to improvise steps on the fly, something that was a little harder with most of the ballroom dances. Of course, there was nothing wrong with having routines but sometimes it was fun to simply let loose and go with the flow.

A couple hours after they started they were working through a tango routine they had been trying to smooth out for a few months. The music came to a stop, Harry standing with his legs braced a bit apart and one hand behind Ginny's neck. Ginny was crouched beside him with one leg extended behind her. Their eyes were locked and both were breathing heavily. Ginny found herself getting lost in his green eyes and for once didn't find herself caring one lick. She unconsciously stood, not looking away from the green eyes that held her brown one in place.

Without thought Harry pulled her to him, slipping his right arm around her back while grasping her right hand in his left. The music, a soft ballad, played as they swayed in time to it. Time passed by without notice but a loud thump from the sitting area jerked them back to reality with a painful mental thump. Ginny stepped back and brought her hands up to her face as she felt herself blushing so hard her face felt hot.

With a swipe she pushed her hands back over her head, getting a few tendrils of hair off her face. "I, um, I think I'm going to turn in for the night," she blurted out before hurrying out the door. In the sitting room she found Sirius was back and had apparently tipped a chair over somehow. She moved to the staircase and down out of his sight so fast he barely had time to say hello.

Ginny didn't stop moving until she was in her room and the door was soundly shut behind her. Pausing to lean back against the door she tried to gather her thoughts but, like her heart, they were racing. Giving it up as a lost cause Ginny took a shower and got ready for bed, deliberately not letting her thoughts congeal into something she didn't want to think about.

Unfortunately, her brain caught up and won the fight.

How could this happen _now_? For years she had worked to keep her attraction to her best friend hidden and she thought she had done a decent job. Harry had certainly never hinted that she'd let something slip. Hermione had even asked her about her crush from first year. The bushy haired brunette had accepted and even applauded Ginny on giving up on her crush, encouraging the younger red head to date. Ginny had done so but deep down she hadn't really expected anything to come of those flings and they certainly hadn't done anything more than snog a bit. She had successfully ignored any and all hints within herself that she was attracted to Harry. Then _this_ had to happen!

Ginny's thoughts rolled around in circles until sleep claimed her.

* * *

Harry woke up a bit later than normal the next morning. He'd been up late the night before talking to Sirius for a few hours and then, after his godfather left again, thinking about Ginny. It had been more than a year since he first realized he had feelings for her that were more than just friends. It had been the Yule ball in his fourth year. She had been laughing with Michael Corner as they danced to a rather upbeat song and he had been caught by the vivacious nature that shimmered just below her skin. He had never seen her in that fashion before and had spent the rest of the night watching her as much as he could. Parvati had been quite peeved with him but his inattentiveness wasn't because of Cho as she thought. In fact, from what he could deduce, no one else had figured out that he was pretty much in love with the slender redhead.

Unfortunately, laying in bed and musing about the redheaded female that was the object of his hidden affections wasn't exactly conducive to getting anything done so he had to get up. After a quick breakfast alone since Ginny had already eaten, Harry settled himself into the library and worked on some of his summer homework. The sooner he got it done, the better in his opinion. He had other things he would rather concentrate on before going back to school. Sometime after lunch, Harry sat back and scrubbed a hand over his face. His potions essay was finally done, even if he didn't honestly know if he was going to be continuing the class the next year. He figured it he didn't, he could play a colossal prank on Snape and send it to the man under an assumed name to see what he thought of it.

Letting his body stretch to loosen stiff muscles and pop minor joints, Harry decided to see what his housemate was up to. Tidying up his work space and gathering the dishes from the picnic lunch Dobby had brought him he went to the kitchen. Stepping into the exercise room, he spotted her running on one of the two treadmills, a pair of ear buds providing her music from her iPod.

It had taken little to no time for Ginny to pick up the concepts and usage of the muggle items she had been introduced to over the last little while. In fact, some muggle things she preferred over wizarding things. Music, and the devices with which to listen to it, was one area she declared superior. Other technological medias were another as were fictional novels. There was simply more variety all around in the muggle world than there was in the wizarding one.

Due to the music filling her ears, she didn't spot Harry in the doorway. Her gaze was far away and vague, indicating to Harry that she was deep in thought. Feeling relatively safe from discovery he let his gaze sweep over her, taking her entire figure in at his leisure.

Her red hair, more cherry colored than the carrot orange of her family, was up in a messy bun at the moment but on the occasions she wore it down, it was even with her elbows. Sweat had errant tendrils sticking to her neck and the side of her face. Her trim and toned form was encased in a pair of shorts and a sports bra that left most of her torso and legs bare while her feet were in practical socks and sneakers. The first time Harry had seen an outfit of this nature on her, he had almost swallowed his tongue. As it was, he'd had to take a few minutes to calm his race pulse, thoughts, and other bits of him before he could act close to normal. Now, after being introduced to this type of get up early in previous year, he was used to it but he did like to take moments were he could appreciate it unseen by her.

It was easy to see when she started slowly cooling down and it wasn't long at all when she finally stopped completely and shut down the treadmill. Turning to the door she spotted Harry and only the slightest jerk of one hand gave away that she still hadn't realized she wasn't alone.

"Hey," Harry said after she'd removed her ear buds, "I thought we would see about setting up a communication line with your mum and the order to try and head things off at the pass so to speak."

"Good idea." Ginny grinned, "But first I need a shower! I'll meet you in the library?" He nodded agreement and she was gone to her room. Harry returned to the library and set about getting the books and parchments they would need for their next project, aware that more than a few people at the order's headquarters were going to a bit bonkers trying to figure this one out. Sometimes it was good to be the unknown pranksters!

* * *

A/N: Remember, this chapter is only a few days after our duo first disappear. And if the story is to continue, my muse had better stay out of the stuff that makes her go AWOL! (She can be a bigger brat than my kids!)


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